Why man swallowed N360-million worth of cocaine for N750,000

Chibogu Obiora, 47, offered to be a drug mule for $1500 (N750,000—to haul 97 wraps of coke worth N360 million from Uganda into Nigeria.

He nearly succeeded.

But the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) intercepted him during the week at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) in Lagos.

According the NDLEA Director, Media and Advocacy Femi Babafemi in a statement, Obiora was nabbed on Sunday, April, 25 during the inward clearance of Ethiopian Airline.

MMIA Commander, Ahmadu Garba said Obiora was taken for body machine scan and the result was positive for ingestion of substances.

So from there he was moved to the NDLEA excretion and observation facility.

Garba said barely an hour after, Obiora excreted 31 wraps of cocaine weighing 500 grammes and another 47 wraps (750 grammes) in the evening of the same day.

The following day, he excreted 19 wraps (300 grammes), bringing the total to 97 wraps (1.55kg).

The NDLEA spokesman said that under interrogation, Obiora claimed he was promised $1,500 to move the drug.

“I opted for the ‘deal’ because I needed money. I did it so that I will be capable of feeding my family”, he was quoted as saying.

“I was living in Madagascar but due to the COVID-19 and the lockdown in the country, I cannot return to my place of work.

“I have never met the real owner of the drug. I don’t know him, they contacted me on the phone and asked if I can do the business,’’ Obiora said.